Journeys and Reflections

Journeys Reflections and

a Lifetime of Ministry

Larry and Linda Neff

In August of 2020, Larry and Linda Neff transitioned to a new phase of their lives—that of retired pastor and wife. It is a new chapter in what has been a long and fruitful story. Here is a little bit of that story.

In 1951 Larry was 7 when he began attending services with his parents, Leroy and Maxine Neff, and siblings, Carol and Donald. They attended the small Portland, Oregon, congregation. In 1955, Leroy Neff was accepted to Ambassador College in Pasadena, California. The family relocated, and Larry attended Imperial Schools for the next seven years.

The future Mrs. Neff (Linda Sloan) came into the Church in Akron, Ohio, in the early ’60s with her parents. Linda’s dad, William Sloan, was Canadian and had served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. During his time in the service, he met her mom, Vera, who was from London. The family had moved to Ohio to find work.

Decades of service Both Larry and Linda attended Ambassador College— he, 1962 through 1966, and she, 1964 through 1966. The summer following his junior year, Larry worked as a ministerial trainee in the San Francisco Bay area in California. The two were married the day after graduation by Mr. Neff’s father and honeymooned on their way to San Antonio, Texas, to serve under Tony Hammer.

Mr. Neff was ordained by Herbert Armstrong at the Feast in Big Sandy in 1967. In 1968 Mr. Neff began serving as an associate pastor in Corpus Christi, Texas. This also included taking care of outlying Bible studies in Victoria and Weslaco (Rio Grande Valley), Texas. The Neffs’ first full pastorate was Austin, Texas, in 1971, where they also started a congregation in Waco.

In 1975 the family enjoyed a sabbatical in Pasadena. This involved taking about nine hours of classes a day and enjoying a little time to relax.

Then it was on to Arizona to pastor Tucson and Sierra Vista. This eight-year assignment included the time Mr. Armstrong lived there, and Mr. Neff had a number of opportunities to visit with him.

It was while serving in Tucson that Mr. Neff first became a Festival coordinator. He has been a coordinator for many Feasts in the years since—always with the help of his wife. The 2019 Feast was his 27th to coordinate while being present at the site.

In 1984 they were assigned to Sacramento, California. Between the AM and PM congregations, there were about 700 in attendance. In 1991 it was off to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for five years, and then to various congregations in the Colorado Front Range for the last 24 years. When Mr. Neff was transferred to the Front Range, he also served as the regional pastor for the Mountain Region.

Seeing growth and overcoming An experience they really enjoyed was the opportunity to work at camp. They both worked at the Teton Challenger Camp for a number years. One of their favorite parts was “seeing young people respond to God’s

way of life and then … become responsible, dedicated members of the Church.”

One of the most inspiring things about serving in the ministry has been “seeing members struggle with personal problems and sins, then overcome and remain solid in the truth to this day. We have certainly worked with individuals in this situation and are inspired at the changes made and longtime faithfulness that followed.”

Blessings of family The Neffs have three children: Larry, born in San Antonio; Debbie, born in Corpus Christi; and Melissa, born in Tucson. Being a part of a ministerial family was a positive experience for their children.

“Our three children made friends in all the areas where we served and maintain contact with many of them to this day. And they have had travel opportunities that

otherwise would not have been available … especially during the Feast.”

Mr. Neff also related, “In one area a local member had an electrical business and hired our son part-time when he was a senior in high school. This man mentored our son and taught him the trade, which he is still very successfully involved in today, 35 years later.”

Lessons learned What has been the biggest lesson learned? “We have learned to emphasize service to and loving interest in the lives of the brethren far above becoming an ‘authority’ on everything and having all the answers. The latter is impossible anyway. Like sheep, the brethren appreciate being cared for, and they respond better to that than just about anything. This is not to minimize the importance of true doctrine, wise counsel, etc., but without the service and concern, teaching the truth does not make a good pastor and wife.”

The Neffs plan to continue to live in Colorado, slow down a bit, enjoy their four grandchildren and write a few more chapters in their story. OA

On the Road Again The following are the congregations that the Neffs served between 1965 and 2020:

1965-1966

1966-1968 1968-1971

1971-1975 Ministerial assistant, San Francisco Bay, California Ministerial assistant, San Antonio, Texas Associate pastor, Corpus Christi, Victoria and Weslaco, Texas Pastor, Austin and Waco, Texas 1975-1976 1976-1984 1984-1991 1991-1996 1996-2020 Sabbatical in Pasadena, California Pastor, Tucson and Sierra Vista, Arizona Pastor, Sacramento, California Pastor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pastor, various congregations in the Front Range of Colorado

Additional duties: Over the years, Mr. Neff has also served as a Festival coordinator, regional pastor, member of the Doctrine Committee, and member of the Moral and Ethics Assessment Committee.